Entering the season, many were calling for Washington's job, including himself apparently. He offered to resign but the Rangers front office went to bat for him. At the time, it could've been because they didn't want an upheaval that close to the season beginning. Or maybe they actually believed Washington was the man to lead them to the promised land.

But one thing can't be argued when it comes to Washington, and that's that his players will run through a wall for him and absolutely love playing for him.

At the professional level, that's pretty much what a head coach does, which is why "manager" has always been such an appropriate term. His job is to manage egos and get people to jell and want to play with and for each other.

It's widely said that the Rangers clubhouse is one of the tightest, most happy, go lucky clubhouses in the league, and Washington has a lot do with that.

He was THISCLOSE to losing his job a year ago, but things have worked out pretty well for ol' Wash.